Spool cap lock



May 8, 1`945V F. BURDlcK SPOOL CAP LOCK 4 Original Filed May 3l. 1941 i W//.. E Q P///////// Patented May 8, 1945 f UNITE-'u v i PATENrj Y Vlranky Burdick, Kalamazoo,- Mich.` assigner to ShakespeareU Company, Kalamazoo, Mich.,..a

`corporationof'f Michigan. i

originar applicmanf. May:r ai... 1941;. serial No. 336,059. Divided and thisapplicaticn Decem-A ber. 6',- 1943; ASerial No. 513,151

` 73 Claims.

This invention relates taimprovementsinlock.-

matically operateto positively prevent. itsacci.-y

dental or undesired disengagement.. therefrom, hence avoiding. its; loss as. wellas that.. annoy ance and.' inconvenience causeda user, merely. byjits unwanted or untimely disengagement from the bushing. y

rIt is also an ,object of .theinventiontoprovide a 'spool cap locking4 device ofgsuch .construction as will render its applicationor. .adaptation to. an industry recognized standard design of' cap and bushing assembly, advantageously `economical .and practical. y

An equally important object Aofthe invention resides vin the manner `of housing the .locking deviceand; its mode of arrangement. and operation inrelation'to'theusual friction drag means pro.-r 'vided' the assembly, the same being such, that neither interfereswith theV eflicient operation of the other and,v moreover, permits of convenient access `to parts for purposes `of inspection', adjustment,v repairs, Q1' .the like. n

Another important and most advantageous feature of the invention1resides`in the provision of a locking `device of the above identi'ed type',

which is Whollyreceived andoperative within'the' spool-bushingand cap assembly', thus assuring its constant protection and its'Y continuousei# cient operation without vinterference with or'from foreign or external'objects,` bodies; etc.'k f v 'Il'heforegoing', as well as other'objects, `advantages; and meritorious teachings of the invention; will-abel in part obviousand-in'4 part pointed out inA the follow-ing detailed disclosure# thereof-j when taken in conjunction n with the. accompanying drawing, it being understood'that' the particular form ofl the invention presentedherein. is a precise and, what. is now considered tobe, the best mode of embodying itsprinciples;v but thatmodi.-

fications .and changes may be` made in .speciczembodiments, without departing: fromits. essential features; l

Inthe drawing: l .i Figure'l is a side elevationofe a standardtype of shing reel, equipped vwith theinvention.

Figure 2 is. anenlarged. fragmentary vertical bushing: assembly and an adjacent portionof thereel. y

Figure 3ds an enlangedftransversesection; taken on the lined-3.` oFigure 2; looking in the directionzinwhich.. the `arrows point, and@ wherein; the-cap llocking `deviceds shown inan inoperative position.` with respect-1 to the spool cap.

- liguree'` is: aviewf corresponding Vtor Figure-'35 except thatlthe. cap-lockingsdevice is` shown in ari-operative on locking. position-with.A respect. to thefspoolrcap.- l l ,Eigurer 5x isan, enlargedtend.- elevation of the bus-hing showing the.v arrangement of.- the cap v locking device and also; the y arrangement'of such device-in dotted lineswhen depressed-,. and,

Figure 6: isv an enlarged fragmentary' longitu-v dinalsection through" a-pc1ton-ofV the dragassemg bly bushing; showingthe manner inwhich it is slotted, to...provider there spool cap. engaging` and lockingidevice.

Having. morte-particularreferencey toiV the draw.-` ing, in. connectionlwith.whichv like` characters'of reference. ,will designate corresponding parts throughout., itw-ill.. be noted, that ,theimproved cap locking. device, is herein--shown to be applied tof a. heavy duty type.V oi nshing .reel. However,

this particular ladaptation `of. the inventiony is merely illustrgative.l4 'Ilhe locking device maybe provided to or. adapted uponyanydesignor ty-pe of fish-ingA reehwherein a: frictionalf drag means is.- supplied.' the reel spool.. Moreoverjit is t.0 be.=unclersto.od thatfthei-nvention may.y be. used y orappliedgenera1ly., tothe capsor. like elements' votreel bushing.. Intheillustrated: embodiment of. theinvention, the reeltail; plateisindicated by. the numeral, I.; the reel crank,;by the numeral Y 2;. the. reel. gear. drag.. star, by; the numeral 3f; thereeliclickbutton, by. thenumeral. 4; the line carriage. tail ybushinge by` the. numeral 5;. and v the., cross., plata-whereby: the reel.- maybe. conf nectedfto. apole orrod'by. the-numeral 6.,

' above.. explained,4 the herein. shown reeliis equipped, witha spool. frictional. drag. assembly to? .control or. regulate. the.. drag applied. tot` the reel spoclduring. its rotation, thev spool being partiallyillustrated inl lligure 2 and,..designated Such assembly. includesthe bythe'. numerall T. l usuali externally screw-threaded. spool' bushing .8;

rotatably receiving a` spoollpivot 9 carriedonone i H of the pintles; ofthe. reel' spool.. l The ybushing `8 is, provided. with an. internally.. screw-threaded cap. IU, having a.. marginallyr openingprecess. or"` pocket. lll formed in. the side thereof, assshown inFigure 2. If desired,.asuitably positioned-.oil l longitudinalv section throughv the spoolfcap. and 55. cupffl l.' may be supplied. the cap.. Relativelyenthe latter is engaged with the outer end of the l spool pivotf9, andthe former,`with the bushing 8' through diametrically opposed Aoutwardly extending fingers, l2?V thereon; .fsaidngers engaging in `'IAvva-rjdly'v opening vslots vor Ways I4, formed 'in diametrically opposed portions of the bushing 8. A helical spring I5 is engaged in the,A

` 'of the cap I0, the drag produced or eiected by outer end of the. cap I0,` as shown in Figure 2 of the accompanying drawing, and has its*V free inner end kbearing upon vthe outer side,z of the frictionwasher I2. Thusfa predetermineddegree of frictional engagement or 'drag between the friction washers I2 and I3 may be effected' .by turning adjustment of the cap Illwith .respect to the externally screw-threadedportion*of the bushing 8.

As will be readily understood by persons skilledl y in this particular art, to increase or decrease the application of frictional drag 'to the spool as'- sembly; the cap I is adapted to be rotated either clockwise` or 'counter-clockwise. In' an instance wh'eresaid cap is rotated. counter-clockwise, the frictional dragfof the assembly'will be correspondingly and progressively decreased. And, it will be moreover understood that heretofore, as a spool cap, such as the cap'` I0, was rotated or turned in a counter-clockwise manner, the ishermanor user has been"require'd' to exercise considerable i care or caution, lest hethereby cause Said vcapto be completely disengaged' from its bushing and permit displacementor loss of vital operating parts of the assembly; With a View toward eliminating such objectionable'and most annoying incidents,v I provide theassembly bushing 8 ywith an integral 'pawl-like" locking device or catch I 6. In forming 'such locking device or "catch i I6, an'acutelyangular saw-cutV I'I is made transverselyl of a portion of `the bushing 8, preferably in proximity and substantially parallel to the normally outery end or .margin portion thereof. As

" shown inthe Figure 2,v this acutely angular sawcut; II opens', onto a side of one of the longitudinal slots or ways I 4in the bushing'r 8. Thus, an integral spring locking device is lprovided the bushing 8.A At thisV point, it is to benoted that the locking device or'catch I6, is'sprungy outwardly from ythe bodyofsaid bushing 8 and has its free end outwardly or'radially disposed by bending, or like'expe'dien't. Because ,of the normal outward disposition or positioning 'ofjthe catch I6 with respect to the adjacentportion ofthe periphery of the bushing 8, plus the inherent spring quality of said catch, it willbe seen that when the spool l'cap I IlA is turned onto the screw-threaded bushing 8, in either clockwise or counter-clockwise direction, said cap will be brought to the particularlyy vdesired position for adjusting the'frictional drag elements of the assembly to either brake rotation or permit of freer rotation ofthe reel spool. A

Should the cap I0 berotated in a counter-clockwise direction, and particularly, to a pointwhere itsA marginally opening recess orway I 0 registers with the normally outwardly l,thrust free end of theintegral catch I6, such free end will in-f stantly engage Yin the recess I0', as illustrated in Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings-When so engaged, it is obvious that the catch will lock orvprevent any and rall further continued counterclockwise rotation` ofthe cap I0. In consequence,

undesirable or accidental disengagement of said If' desired, however, the catch-I6 may 1be depressed cap from. its bushing 8, will be` prevented.

with respectv to the cap4 I0 and thereby, have y 12,375,519 v v 'vf,... :1;

vfreely Aover and by said free end of the catch.

Obviously, by such unimpeded clockwise turning ythe extent ofv-engagement betweenthe friction ywashers .I2andfl3 may be readily adjusted or 'f modulated to the required degree.

I desire to have it understood that the saw- 'cut orslot I1 formed in the bushing a, whereby to provide or constitute an integral spring catch I 6, is preferably milled at such an angle that when said catch is inwardly thrust or depressed to unlockror freethe cap I0 for rotation, said catch can only be depressed or inwardly moved a limitedr distance, i. e., it canonly be flexed inwardly enough to elfect such desired unlocking movement, and that, Withoutdestroying its spring locking 'eiciency due to excessive inward flexing or thrusting beyondthe inner periphery of the bushing 8. Naturally, the degree at which thel saw-cut or slot 20 is formed or milled, may be varied. Nevertheless, the particular angle of such milling or'cuttin'g of the slot should be such, that there willl be sufficient relative over-lapping arrangement or engagementbetween the juxtaposed sides fo thev integral catch I6 and its bushing 8. A. Y

Iclaim: n

l. A cap lock, including a bushing, a radiallyk outwardly movablelock spring integral with a portion of the wall of said bushing,`and a cap rotatably engageable oversaid 'bushing adapted tor be lockingly engaged by said spring. lockata predetermined point of its rotative movement,

`2. `Acap lock, including an externally screwthreaded'bushing, a part of said bushing being struck outwardly therefrom and disposed circumferentially thereof, and an internally screwthreaded cap rotatably engaged over the screwthreaded portion of said bushing and said outwardly struck portion adapted to be engaged by the free and outermost end of .saidv outwardly struck portion at a predetermined point of` its y rotative movement on the bushing.

.m31 A cap lock, including Aan externally screw threaded bushing, an internally screw-threaded cap rotatably engagea-ble over the screw-threaded portionY of said bushing having a fmarginally opening way in its side, and a circumferentially disposed radially and outwardly extended lock spring integral with the iadjacent screw-threaded portion of the bushing having its free and outer-- y most end engageable in the marginally opening wayof said cap at a predetermined point ofits 4. A cap lock,'including an externally screwthreaded bushing having a longitudinal slot formed in a portion of its side, an'internally screw-threaded cap rotatably engageable over the yscrewthreaded portion ofsaid bushing having a marginally opening way in its side, and `said bushing having an acutely angular cut disposed circumferentially of itsA screw-threadedV portionr opening at one end'into its longitudinal slot to form av normally outwardly movable spring lock engageable, at times, in the marginally opening way of said cap to prevent rotation of the same bushing adapted to be engaged by said outwardly' struck portion at a predetermined pointv of its rotative movement in one direction for preventing itsfurther rotation in one direction.'

6. A cap lock, including a bushing having a longitudinal slot in a portion of its side, a cap rotatably and longitudinally movable vover said bushing having an opening in its side, and radially movable spring locking means integral with a portion of the side of said bushing engageable in said opening in the cap at a predetermined point of its rotary and longitudinal movement y on the bushing. n

7. A cap lock, including a bushinghaving a longitudinal slot in a portion of` its side, a cap rotatably engagednover the screw-threaded portion of said bushing having a marginally opening Way in its side, and said bushing havingA an acutely angular slot formed in and disposed circumferentially thereof opening at one end into its longitudinal' slot to form ak normally outwardly movable spring lock engageable', at times, `in the marginally opening Way of said cap ,to prevent rotation thereof in a predetermined direction.

' FRANK BURDICK. 

